Jamie Dupree’s Washington Insider

Taxpayers on the hook for most of cost of Michigan recount

As a Presidential vote recount gets underway Thursday in Wisconsin, Green Party candidate Jill Stein has successfully been able to force another vote review in the race for the White House, this time in Michigan, where state officials say that taxpayers will have to pick up most of the cost.

“Michigan taxpayers could be paying $4 million despite the $1 million the Green Party nominee must pay to have the recount,” said Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, who publicly frowned on Stein’s recount request.

Jill Stein would pay 1 million for the Michigan recount and the tax payers would pay 4 million. For a state that doesn't really matter…

“It is unusual that a candidate who received just 1 percent of the vote is seeking a recount, especially when there is no evidence of hacking or fraud, or even a credible allegation of any tampering, Johnson said Wednesday evening.

In requesting recounts in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, Stein has focused on the use of certain voting machines, which she argues can be tampered with.

But in Michigan, there is none of that – instead, Stein has questioned the number of under votes, where people did not vote for anyone for President – those are known as “under votes.”

Stein claimed there were over 70,000 under votes; the Detroit Free Press reported that number was more like 85,000.

Here is an example in Genessee County, Michigan, just over one thousand people there didn’t cast a ballot for President:

Despite what seems to be a victory for President-Elect Donald Trump, recounts are now underway courtesy of Stein in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

There is also a recount to come in some counties in Nevada, requested by Roque De La Fuente, who received even fewer votes than Stein.

Man who called for recount says he chose NV because caucus turnout lowest ever (false) and NV is 50% Latino (false). https://t.co/DlOKIVGNcP